Centenary beer to spread ‘Hoppiness’ at St Monica Trust

The Hoppiness Project will see residents from the Bristol-based charity brew a centenary beer from hops grown at their retirement villages and care homes.

Residents of all abilities, especially those who are living with dementia, will take part in a series of sessions where they will grow, tend and harvest the hops.

As well as touring local breweries and marketing the finished product, residents will celebrate the end of the project with a traditional Wassailing.

Healthy ageing

The Hoppiness Project is a collaboration between the St Monica Trust, Alive Activities and local brewers.

The Trust’s Innovation Design Manager, Sean Davey said: “One hundred years of St Monica Trust seemed like something worth raising a glass to, and what better to do that with than our own centenary beer, co-produced from beginning to end with our residents.

“Healthy ageing is about supporting people to live their best lives, maintaining independence and maximising well-being, and we’re delighted to be working in partnership with Alive and local brewers to promote this within our villages and care homes.”

100 years of caring

The St Monica Trust first opened its doors to residents in 1925 at what was then the St Monica Home of Rest on Cote Lane.

Today the Trust operates five retirement villages and four care homes across Bristol, Banes and North Somerset, and awards more than £500,000 each year in gifts and grants to individuals, families and organisations.

Alive Activities Project Manager, Guy Manchester said: "Hoppiness was inspired by a care home resident who said he’d like to "grow beer" as part of a gardening group we were running.

“We soon realised that it had the potential to be a perfect tool to provide meaningful, engaging activities for care home residents - and a great way to challenge preconceptions about older people and care homes.”